Hollywood Reacts to SAG-AFTRA Strike End as Studios and Actors Reach Agreement

Entertainment By TooFab Staff |

The long strike season is finally coming to a close as SAG-AFTRA announces they've reached an agreement with studios that will get Hollywood back to work in television and film.

On Wednesday night, SAG-AFTRA announced "a deal of extraordinary scope," effectively marking the end of the long strike season that first began when the WGA went on strike on May 2.

The actors joined the picket line on July 14, creating a complete work stoppage across television and film. The writers finally reached an agreement on September 27 after 148 days, but the actors strike lingered on. Now, it looks like that strike is over, too, after reaching 118 days.

"We have arrived at a contract that will enable SAG-AFTRA members from every category to build sustainable careers," said the actors guild in a statement received by The Hollywood Reporter. "Many thousands of performers now and into the future will benefit from this work."

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The statement details "substantial pay increases, guardrails for the use of artificial intelligence" and a "streaming participation bonus." The negotiating committee will release the full details after the full SAG-AFTRA national board reviews it.

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) also released a statement, saying the agreement "represents a new paradigm."

The studios said the new agreement "gives SAG-AFTRA the biggest contract-on-contract gains in the history of the union, including the largest increase in minimum wages in the last forty years; a brand new residual for streaming programs; extensive consent and compensation protections in the use of artificial intelligence; and sizable contract increases on items across the board."

Per SAG-AFTRA, the strike will officially end at 12:01 am PT on Thursday.

Jeremy Allen White was at the premiere of The Iron Claw when the story broke and perhaps had the first reaction while speaking with Access Hollywood. "I'm very, very happy the strike is over," he said with a huge smile on his face, "just now. It's crazy! Here we are, I'm ready."

When asked what he was going to do first, he said, "The Bear. I can say that now. I'm on a TV show called The Bear."

Zac Efron was also doing press, for his film The Iron Claw, when the news came down. When Deadline asked him how he felt, he replied, "Incredible. I'm so happy we were all able to come to an agreement. Let's get back to work. Let's go. Congrats, everybody, we did it."

Several Hollywood stars jumped into the comments of SAG-AFTRA's announcement post on Instagram to share their excitement. "Well done," commented jameela Jamil while Eric Stonestreet wrote, "Thank you to all who stood the line each and every day and to those negotiated on all of our behalf."

Jodie Sweetin expressed, "Thank you to EVERYONE who worked so hard on this!!! ❤️" Wil Wheaton also commented his thanks to the negotiating committee, captains, and fellow members, while Khary Payton added, "Woo. That hits hard. Thank you, everyone, for standing firm. ❤️🙏🏾"

It was a simple "Whoo-hoo!!!❤️" from Yevette Nicole Brown, with Wanda Sykes adding "🥂" and Justina Machado shouting, "Thank you!!!!!" Over on her Instagram Stories, Alyssa Milano wrote, "Strike is over! Thanks to all who fought so hard for this historic contract!!!"

Jumping on her Instagram Stories, Mandy Moore wrote, "Thank you @sagaftra negotiators and leadership for getting us over the finish line!!! Gratitude is the attitude!! And grateful to those who walked the walked (picketers, strike captains, Our fellow union brothers and sisters, etc...)" She followed it up with message, "Let's get back to work, friends."

Here's how the industry is reacting to the end of the work stoppage.

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2023 Writers and Actors Strike: Celebrities Who Joined Picket Line View Photos

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